ACT 4,7 LAERTES Flashcards
quotes on how laertes as a noble character
[enters with followers]
Laertes shall be king
quotes to show laertes’ as ignoble
I dare damnation
cut his throat i’the church
quotes to show how claudius flatters laertes
knowing ear / he which hath your noble father slain’d/ pursu’d me
a [normal soldier] gave you such a masterly report… to your rapier especial
quotes on how claudius manipulates laertes
are you like the paintings of sorrow
what would you undertake to show yourself indeed your father’s son
AO5 for 4,7
Laertes is like a hurricane (prosser)
Ophelia is a lesser’ we have never really known (kerrigan)
analyse [enter with followers] and laertes shall be king
presents laertes as being a noble character
analyse cut his throat i’the church
contrasts with the noble presentation of laertes as he has become corrupt and manipulated by claudius. The use of blashphemous language shows how he no longer fears damnation which is more shocking to an elizabethan audience
his willingness to go against God makes him a foil to Hamlet’s inaction
analyse knowing ear/ he which hath your noble father slain’d/ pursu’d me
claudius flatters laertes by presenting him as intelligent which effectively justifies the decision to kill Hamlet. There is a sense of unity and shared threat of Hamlet as claudius emphasises Hamlet’s actions which urges laertes to act
mirrors Claudius deception and manipulation in 1,2 in his speech - thou yet and your better wisdoms
analyse are you like the paintings of sorrow/ what would you undertake to show yourself that your are indeed your father’s son
claudius manipulates Laertes and questions his sense of grief towards his father’s death. He also provokes laertes even more by questioning his loyalty to his father-FR and suggests he is feminine for not fulfilling his duty
analyse a [norman soldier] gave you such a masterly report .. to you rapier especial
claudius flatters Laertes’ ego more by comparing him to a norman soldier - makes up a fake story of le monde- makes him appear capable to kill Hamlet
AO3 blood feuds
BF were private acts of revenge undertaken by family members for their kins, often through the acts of retribution like duels and battles. BF were controversial and more to do with protecting family honour and reputation rather than the ethical significance of the deceased family member’s death and actions.
during elizabeth’s reign BF reduced significantly due to spy networks
AO3 Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli was an influential political thinker, in his text ‘The Prince’ he outlines how sometimes rulers need to act ignobly to assert their power and influence as he states that ‘everyone sees what you appear to be but very few experience what you really are’
